Italy

Apr 24, 2020

I am running another live, online watercolour demonstration on Sunday, May 24th at 6 pm UK time (GMT). Wherever you are, join me for this unique paint along, where we will paint a sunny scene in Tuscany, Italy. This will not be a recording. It is LIVE!

This online workshop is suitable for painters of any level. It will be a demonstration in Watercolor. I will go at a slow pace and describe with commentary what I am doing and the techniques I am using. The commentary will only be in English, and I will try and speak slowly because I have many attendees where English is not their first language.

All you will need is a good/reliable internet connection, and a headphone or PC speakers to hear my audio commentary. If you want to, you'll be able to ask plenty of questions as I go along. There is a $7 USD fee to attend this live session. It will not be uploaded to YouTube (as a Public Video) or available to anyone apart from the attendees who have paid to watch. The link to the recording will be the SAME link as you use to register!

What you will need (apart from paper and water)

A large and medium size mop brush if you can

Your normal palette of colours - but a light red and yellow ochre will be great to include

The demo might be an hour to an hour and a half in duration (depends on how many questions/comments I get!). We will paint at a slow speed and in stages, so you can paint along with me if you want, or wait until you receive a link to the recording.

Here's a photo from a previous session, with 'attendee' Jack Cwiek showing his setup, following me as I paint!

And this is what it could look like on your screen..

You need to register to attend (please do this as soon as possible and not on the day) and pay the $7 USD fee via the very secure link given. You will then be sent an email with the simple connection instructions for attending the demo (it is the same link!)...

Apr 18, 2020

First live and online demo to approx 60 attendees to the Onda Creativa Art Group. Subject was a Google Street View image of Piazza della Frutta in Padua. You have to be careful with perspective when using a street view image as your resource - camera is higher than a person so you are looking down more on the scene. So you have to compensate and imagine you are lower! Takes a bit of practice.

This was a 2-hour live demo with Q and A during the session run via zoom. Needs a bit of multi-tasking!

Apr 02, 2020

Kiosks are really convenient objects to include in a street scene. A chance to have a little bit of contrast with the roof against the background - light against dark or vice versa, a chance to include some customers/figures. This was a demo painting at a recent evening at my art club.

Mar 23, 2020

Another view of the boats moored along one of the many canals/waterways in Livorno, Italy. As an artist who likes painting these sorts of small boats, it's a fantastic area to do plein air painting. I made up the figures and the guy pulling on the rope.

Mar 21, 2020

A view looking towards the centre of the port city of Livorno, Italy, with the waterway on the right. Quite a contrast in values in this one, exaggerated with the contra jour or against the light to have almost silhouetted shapes - light against dark or dark against light.

Mar 16, 2020

The red-brown fortress walls as a backdrop to a marina within the city of Livorno. I went fairly loose with the background, and just a few slices left light to indicate roof tops and so on. On the right is actually a block of flats, but inappropriate to paint in every window/balcony etc.

Mar 04, 2020

Following on from my fascination with washing lines, this is one from Livorno. I think the trick with washing lines is make them look as if they are attached to the building, and make sure they go from one window to another and not end up between windows if you see what I mean. Some dark shadows under the washing helps with the old values!

Mar 03, 2020

Another painting of Fivizzano. It's after midday, the weekly market has ended, and the streets are a little quieter. Great location for loads of plein air painting and fabulous views down every street. I went quite loose with this one and made a play of the warm tones of the buildings on the other side of the street.

Mar 02, 2020

One of the many many canals around the older part of Livorno, Italy. Maybe I should have gone portrait orientation on this one? Anyway, anything with boats in is my cup of tea. The boats bottom right were simply done as you can see!